T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
Joan to Her Lady
Anonymous(From Pills to Purge Melancholy, 1707) |
LADY, sweet, now do not frown, | |
Nor in Anger call me Clown, | |
For your servant Joan may prove, | |
Like your self, as deep in Love; | |
And as absolute a Bit, | 5 |
Man’s sweet liquorish Tooth to fit. | |
The Smock alone the difference makes, | |
’Cause yours is spun of finer Flax. | |
What avails the Name of Madam? | |
Came not all from Father Adam? | 10 |
Where does one exceed the other? | |
Was not Eve our common Mother? | |
Then what odds ’twixt you and Joan? | |
Truly in my Judgment, none. | |
Ladies are but Blood and Bone, | 15 |
Skin and Sinews, so is Joan. | |
Joan’s a Piece for a man to bore, | |
With his Wimble, your’s no more. | |
Then what odds ’twixt you and Joan? | |
Truly in my Judgment, none. | 20 |
It is not your flaunting Tires, | |
Are the cause of Men’s Desires; | |
They’re other Darts which Lusts pursue, | |
Those Joan has as well as you. | |
Then what odds ’twixt you and Joan? | 25 |
Truly in my Judgment, none. | |
What care we for Glorious Lights, | |
Women are used in the Nights; | |
And in Night in Women-kind, | |
Kings and Clowns like Sport do find. | 30 |
Then what odds ’twixt you and Joan? | |
Truly in my Judgment, none. | |
Where there two in Bed together, | |
There’s no a Pin to chuse ’twixt either; | |
Both have Eyes, and both have Lips; | 35 |
Both have Thighs and both have Hips. | |
Then what odds ’twixt you and Joan? | |
Truly in my Judgment, none. | |
When your Hand puts out the Candle, | |
And you at last begin to handle, | 40 |
Then you go about to do | |
What you should be done unto. | |
Then what odds ’twixt you and Joan? | |
Truly in my Judgment, none. | |
Who can but in Conscience say, | 45 |
Fie, fie, for shame away, away, | |
Putting Finger in the Eye, | |
Till you have a fresh Supply. | |
When what odds ’twixt you and Joan? | |
Truly in my Judgment, none. | 50 |